A LITTLE TRIP TO LOUIS LUNCH!!

May 31, 2015

LOUIS LUNCH is where they invented the hamburger. And while that has nothing to do with cupcakes, our little trip there was such a treat, we had to tell you about it.

LOUIS is in New Haven, Connecticut, not far from the Yale campus. It sits in a tiny brick building that looks like a small “ye olde worlde” pub. The inside is equally unusual and moody. It’s somewhat den-like, and full of a conglomeration of wooden tables, pews and counters that takes a few seconds to figure out.

LOUIS LUNCH started as a lunch wagon (the 19th Century equivalent of a food truck) back in 1895. And it moved into its brick building in 1917. (That’s the same building you see in the photo above.)

According to the LOUIE website, “The beginnings of the hamburger sandwich as we all know it today was really quite simple. One day in 1900, a gentleman hurriedly walked into Louis’ Lunch and told proprietor Louis Lassen he was in a rush and wanted something he could eat on the run. In an instant, Louis placed his own blend of ground steak trimmings between two slices of toast and sent the gentleman on his way. And so, the most recognizable American sandwich was born.”

To this day, they cook their burgers vertically, in small cast iron stoves. It’s a fascinating thing to watch. The iron stoves themselves are worth the trip.

The succulent burger (made from 5 different cuts of beef) comes between pieces of bread, and no ketchup is allowed—and that’s a never-to-be-broken LOUIS tradition!

So if you’re ever near by, you have to make a stop. You can digest a little history and a most delicious meal at the same time.

Meet Alan and Karen

Alan Richardson and Karen Tack are the NYTIMES best-selling authors of Hello, Cupcake! , and now Make It Easy, Cupcake! Fabulously Fun Creations in 4 Simple Steps, the cookbooks that have created a revolution in cupcake decorating.